STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1610-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2663

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2663, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Ensure regulation of geothermal resources development in the State through a permitting process based on land use classification that is to be administered by the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the appropriate county authorities; and

     (2)  Prohibit and establish penalties for hydraulic fracturing and the collection, storage, treatment, or discharge of wastewater from hydraulic fracturing within the State through July 1, 2025.

An individual provided testimony in support of this measure.  An individual provided testimony in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Puna Pono Alliance; Indigenous Consultants, LLC; and a few individuals provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2014; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2663, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2663, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair